The Secrets of America’s Greatest High School Math Team ( in Florida!!)

The Wall Street Journal ^ | Ben Cohn

[CaptainK]

From a Wall Street Journal story by Ben Cohen headlined “The Secrets of America’s Greatest High School Math Team”:

It was a sticky Thursday afternoon in the middle of summer break when dozens of teenagers walked through the doors of their high school. One of the world’s most dominant teams was about to start math practice.

There was probability in one classroom and pre-algebra next door, code-breaking down the hall and number theory around the corner. And there were few adults to be found anywhere. The students would spend the rest of the day teaching each other.

I had also come here to learn from them. I wanted to understand how this otherwise average public high school in Florida has managed to win 13 of the last 14 national math championships

[1Old Pro]

a dynasty built by one teacher with a strategy for identifying talent, maximizing potential and optimizing the American system of education.

he then adds competition and practice (summer 80 hours) and those are all the key ingredients.

[FLNittany]

Chinese grad students at PSU in the late 90’s taught most of the stat classes. It’s hard enough to understand w/out an obvious language barrier - which there was.

[Reily]

“...I think taking algebra and logic early is a key to becoming a good problem solver in all sorts of fields.....”

Agree!
There is no better substitute in the K12 system for learning to think rationally & precisely then those. Even if you just get algebra and geometry that can be sufficient.